French tourist booked for allegedly sexually abusing children

Police have registered a case against a French tourist for allegedly sexually abusing a group of children in Odisha's beach town of Puri, an official said Thursday.

Middle-aged Mathew Furic allegedly indulged in paedophilia with a group of boys on a secluded area of the beach at Puri, about 56 km from state capital Bhubaneswar, a number of times between Nov 23 and 26.

The alleged incident came to light after James Foster Gorman, an American tourist, lodged a complaint with the local police Nov 2 and said he saw Furic perform oral sex with the children.

When Gorman protested, Furic allegedly assaulted him.

Gorman talked to some of the children and recorded their conversation in a video camera and handed over the footage to authorities.

On the basis of the footage and a written complaint, police raided the hotel where Furic was staying but found that he had left the city Nov 26.

"We have registered a case. We have also issued a look-out circular so that if the French national is still in India, he can be nabbed and brought here," district Superintendent of Police Anup Sahu told IANS.

Furic has been booked for committing offences under Indian Penal code, including for wrongful restraint, causing hurt, criminal intimidation and under Protection Of Children From Sexual Offences Act.